The surface water service charges are annual service charges to property owners for storm and surface water management services. They are primarily used to provide drainage and water quality services. Read about the the rising cost of clean water.

Our fundamental drainage goal is to create and maintain drainage systems that protect against flooding, reduce pollution in storm water, and reduce damage to aquatic habitat. The major cause of most of these problems is increased storm water that comes from impervious surfaces such as rooftops, driveways, and parking lots.

Our fundamental water quality goal is to maintain and restore the County's streams and lakes. Our priorities are to decrease pollutants related to human activities, to reduce water quality problems related to flooding, to increase stream base flows, to lower water temperatures, and to increase dissolved oxygen.

Surface Water Management service charges were originally adopted for south county watersheds in 1987 and expanded to other watersheds in unincorporated areas in subsequent years. Since that time, Snohomish County surface water service charges have remained among the lowest in the region.

In 2002, the County Council recognized the need for a detailed inventory and assessment of drainage needs throughout the county's unincorporated urban growth areas. To address a portion of these needs, the county council approved a service charge increase for properties located in the urban growth areas.

In 2008, Snohomish County completed a rate study that identified the level of additional funding that is needed to meet the new requirements of the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit beginning in 2009. To meet these new funding requirements, the County Council amended Titles 25 and 25A to increase surface water service charges for 2009.

Most owners of developed properties located in unincorporated Snohomish pay the service charge. All owners of developed property must pay for solutions because each piece of property contributes to some form of runoff and pollution to ditches, streams, or groundwater. The service charges are based on the contribution of each property to the problem, not the potential benefit to the property.

Some types of properties that pay service charges are:

Commercial and non-commercial private properties in unincorporated Snohomish County

Newly developed properties

Public properties in unincorporated Snohomish County like parks and fire districts

Properties in cities annexed after December 2009 (reduced charge until 2021 to pay off bonds)

The single-family home annual service charge is $122 in Urban Growth Areas and $90.00 in all other areas.

Owners of single-family residences pay a flat service charge, whereas owners of apartments, businesses, and commercial structures are charged a rate per quarter acre according to the percentage of impervious surfaces* on their properties. For a complete list of rate categories and charges, see Snohomish County Code, 25.20.020 and 25A.20.020.

* Impervious surfaces are hard surfaced areas that prevent or retard the entry of water into the soil, or cause water to run off faster than under natural conditions. Common impervious surfaces include rooftops, sidewalks, pavement, patios, driveways, parking lots, gravel, and other surfaces that impede the natural infiltration or runoff of surface water.

If you have a piece of commercial property with a detention facility that meets the requirements of the County's Drainage Code (see Chapter30.63A of the Snohomish County Code) and it is properly maintained, you may qualify for a rate reduction. Call us at 425-388-6474 (or toll free at 800-562-4367 ext. 6474) for a request form and to schedule an inspection of the property.

For additional information regarding credits and exemptions, refer to the Snohomish County Code,

If you believe your service charge was miscalculated (rate category, amount of impervious surface, land use classification, acreage, or WMA), a refund may be due. Applications for billing error refunds must be made within three years of the date of payment and refunds may be retroactive up to three prior years.

You may contact Snohomish County Surface Water Management for information on service charges. Refunds and appeals require an appeal form be submitted by April 30. Once you have submitted an appeal form, an inspection of the property may be required.

Forms and inquiries should be directed to Snohomish County Surface Water. You call at 425-388-6474 or 800-562-4367 ext. 6474. You can also mail inquiries and forms to:Utility BillingSurface Water Management3000 Rockefeller Avenue M/S 607Everett, WA 98201- 4046

Note: Filing a Request for Review will not extend the payment due date.